UMEBA Realignment

[CTBrewCrew]

Any thought of changing the two division setup in the UMEBA to one 8 team division as opposed current two 4 team setup?

Looking at this year, the bottom two teams in the BANC are now eliminated from the playoffs and both have better records than the first place team in the BURT.

OR - If there is opposition to merging the divisions, perhaps the playoff setup can change.

Keep the two divisions the same, but do it "CFL" style.

Take the division winners, and then take the next two teams with the best W/L records regardless of division.

So this year we would have (if the season ended today)...

Jerusalem & Manama as Division Winners and Bucharest & Mumbai as the two WCs.

This also happened last year with Jerusalem having 87 wins (only good enough for 3rd place in the BANC), but was better than the 2nd place team in the BURT.

Questions, comments, insults....

[bschr682]

Personally what I would do is add 4 teams. 2 in each league. 6 team divisions feel right. But that would require more GMs I spose.

[jleddy]

I think re-alignment is a bit of an over-reaction. Greg in Baghdad had greater pressing issues outside of OOTP to deal with so he wasn't able to devote a great time to the team and I believe Manama was GM-less for a little while and had a GM change at some point. Yes, Bancroft has stronger teams but things can change rather quickly (ie look at the franchise-altering prospects coming up soon for Istanbul and Manama.)

[drummerJ99]

Personally I'd like It the way I think AA in real life does it and split the season in two halfs. Or expansion. Right now I think season just feels way to long for the short amount of teams. Just my opinion though.

[CTBrewCrew]

Thats a thought also. Didn't think of that.

[Fat Nige]

I think it's really been a down year for the BURT, it hasn't always been this lop-sided. Jerusalem gained a league changing advantage in the first year of UMEBA when they were the only managed team and so were able to scoop up a franchise worth of top prospects. The second year was advantageous to them as well as the new UMEBA GM's were coming to terms with what was needed in the league while Jerusalem continued to hoover up the prospects.
Since then the BBA has really tightened up on who we can sign, or who is interested, making it a crap shoot on whose 26-yr-old BBA AA reject will suddenly blossom.
I feel if anything is to be done to the UMEBA it should be expansion to give the teams a more varied diet of games. One division only doesn't really interest me at all, the bottom two or three teams would be losing interest pretty quickly. If it was only expanded to five teams in each division it would liven things up a bit, expansion to six teams each division would I think stretch the creaky talent pool too much. We have to really struggle to find any talent as it is with just eight teams. You'll notice that nearly all the stars are heading for 32, 33 years old

[CTBrewCrew]

Dunno about expanding - it’s hard enough to find people to run them now. We haven’t had many applicants recently.

[drummerJ99]

I think it's really been a down year for the BURT, it hasn't always been this lop-sided. Jerusalem gained a league changing advantage in the first year of UMEBA when they were the only managed team and so were able to scoop up a franchise worth of top prospects. The second year was advantageous to them as well as the new UMEBA GM's were coming to terms with what was needed in the league while Jerusalem continued to hoover up the prospects.
Since then the BBA has really tightened up on who we can sign, or who is interested, making it a crap shoot on whose 26-yr-old BBA AA reject will suddenly blossom.
I feel if anything is to be done to the UMEBA it should be expansion to give the teams a more varied diet of games. One division only doesn't really interest me at all, the bottom two or three teams would be losing interest pretty quickly. If it was only expanded to five teams in each division it would liven things up a bit, expansion to six teams each division would I think stretch the creaky talent pool too much. We have to really struggle to find any talent as it is with just eight teams. You'll notice that nearly all the stars are heading for 32, 33 years old

Honestly I kinda agree. Think expansion makes most logical sense to freshen it up a bit and give variety to schedule. But then again you have to have dedicated GM's. So not sure that's the best answer either. IDK. Maybe shortened season? Or 2 seasons for each BBA?

[Fat Nige]

A short season of around 80 games would allow us to have almost two seasons to each BBA season? I get your point about getting GM’s for expansion but if we are expanding by two I don’t think that would be too much of a problem. We are supposed to be a developmental league for BBA GM’s so we don’t always have a full complement of GM’s anyway. A short season schedule would probably save disruptions to the UMEBA when GM’s are promoted to the BBA, less time for a team to be rudderless if you can get a new GM in for the second season

[bcslouck]

If it was only expanded to five teams in each division it would liven things up a bit, expansion to six teams each division would I think stretch the creaky talent pool too much. We have to really struggle to find any talent as it is with just eight teams. You'll notice that nearly all the stars are heading for 32, 33 years old

I disagree with this. Any time I take a look at players with UMEBA ratings, I see a lot of viable options in free agency. It's kind of been known that it will take a couple years to have your own talent so I don't see the issue with signing a 32 y/o to a 1 or 2 year deal. I see a couple now that are mid 20's that would be studs though. Now if the issue is that they won't sign with UMEBA teams until Matt ups the rep, well that's a different "argument." But I think there is enough talent to go to 12 teams total.

[Fat Nige]

There’s certainly plenty of talent out there but 95% of them know the mantra “I’m sorry I’m just not interested in your organization”. It’s a case of scrolling through page after page trying to find the couple that will consider you. We survive just about lol

[bcslouck]

There’s certainly plenty of talent out there but 95% of them know the mantra “I’m sorry I’m just not interested in your organization”. It’s a case of scrolling through page after page trying to find the couple that will consider you. We survive just about lol

Yeah that's a rep issue. I don't know what it's set at during the season, but there has to be a number where Top BBA guys won't consider the UMEBA but maybe 40/45 or less BBA guys would at any point.

[DugoutDesperado]

As one of the UMEBA-ites who finished on the outside looking into the playoffs in a third place tie with an 84-78 record, I thought I would share a few thoughts. Take them from what they are worth since I do only have a season and a half under my belt in the Brewster.
- In a lot of sports, some times you are in the more competitive division, some times you are not. Just like the NFC West vs the NFC East in the NFL. It may change the next year, it may not. At the beginning of the year, I knew what it was going to take to make the playoffs and tried my best to plan accordingly. I am not sure a re-alignment of the teams is really in order at this point.
- Personally, I am not a big fan of shortening the schedule to two 80 game half seasons. If there isn’t a free agent and draft cycle between the two half seasons, I am just not sure what it would buy the league. The off-season is where most of the UMEBA jostling seems to happen since there are not a lot of in season trades (outside of a few pick ups from the free agent iist).
- Adding a few teams to make the divisions larger would only work if you expand the number of teams that go to the playoffs. We would also still have the potential scenario of a team with a better record being left out unless we went with the division winners and the best remaining records even if they are all in the same division. I also do not see there being a lot of free agent fodder out there, willing to sign with the UMEBA, that would keep from seriously draining the overall talent level with two (or four) extra teams added to the league. I have not been around long enough, but I am also not sure how easy it would be to keep enough active owners around the UMEBA (although it would help keep the queue healthy for prospective BBA owners if all of the teams could be manned properly).
- The Cedar front office is perfectly content trying to pull up our collective boot straps in the off season and see if we can make enough adjustments to gain the 10 to 15 games needed to try and catch the Jerusalem/Bucharest juggernaut while hoping to keep pace with Mumbai. This is what makes the game interesting to me so I don’t mind if the Cedars are left out of the playoffs from time to time.
-
- P.S. Get back with me in 5 seasons and see if the any OOTP cynicism sets in if this is repeated 5 more times.

[bcslouck]

I also do not see there being a lot of free agent fodder out there, willing to sign with the UMEBA, that would keep from seriously draining the overall talent level with two (or four) extra teams added to the league.

Right. I think the league rep is too low. When the UMEBA started, top BBA guys were willing to go there. That isn't realistic. But I think it isn't realistic that nobody will sign there. Gotta be a rep number that is the best of both Worlds.

UMEBA is still really young so you guys don't have a lot of home grown talent. Draft talent is improving and will eventually be deeper. Just takes some time to catch up.

[Fat Nige]

A great piece by the Dugout Desperado there, the UMEBA is a growing league, still in its infancy. It will develop over the years and perhaps it is too soon for expansion yet?
Several of the GM’s there are now bedding down for the long term and beginning to think of a development plan , using the A >AAA path rather than signing for the UMEBA and shoving the unwanted down to the minors. Maybe given a few more years of league development things will be better.
Brandon is right though, a happy medium has to be found between the BBA & UMEBA reputation levels. We currently don’t have a shot at any decent FA’s until ST has started which really plays havoc with your planning. If you’re missing those vital pieces and can’t offer them until ST then it’s going to be into the season by the time they sign. Perhaps if we drop the season back a month? That would give us the increased reputation when the BBA ST starts but still a month before our ST and two before the UMEBA season starts?

[bcslouck]

Like this guy. Former prospect of mine that hasn't put it together but was really good at AAA. Can't tell if his stuff is now an 8 because of development or list as an RP. Either way, 3 good pitches, solid stamina. Control that isn't BBA level but should play in the UMEBA and only 24. He'd probably be one of the top guys. No chance he can make more money in the BBA next year. He should be open to the UMEBA. Not sure if he is someone who's not interested, but he should be interested.

[DugoutDesperado]

I did previously try to sign Adam Simons on a few occasions. He gave me the not interested message. I have about 12 of those guys that would fit into Beirut quite nicely but are not interested in the UMEBA and/ or Beirut.

[bcslouck]

I did previously try to sign Adam Simons on a few occasions. He gave me the not interested message. I have about 12 of those guys that would fit into Beirut quite nicely but are not interested in the UMEBA and/ or Beirut.

Yeah, that's a problem for talent. UMEBA could be loaded if guys like him were interested like he should be.

[drummerJ99]

I always get the no interested message or "I wouldn't along with your manager" message for any guys rated 30-35 or higher.

I agree that UMEBA shouldn't be getting BBA majors talent but most of my team is rated 20-25 with a few 30 year olds rated 35.

[jleddy]

Am I wrong to assume that the UMEBA is supposed to mirror an independent league inferior to MLB, ala the Atlantic League?

The Atlantic League is basically comprised of:
*Players not good enough to be drafted
*Players too old (25-30) to take up space in MLB's lower minors
*Former MLBers over 30 who aren't deemed worthy of MLB rosters or AAA

To me, that describes the UMEBA pretty well. If that's the case, seems like the set-up is correct and fair and the player population is correct.